CBSE Exam Day Checklist — What to Carry and Do

Exam day preparation is as important as syllabus preparation. Here is your complete checklist — what to carry, what to eat, and how to stay calm on exam day.

What to Carry

• Admit card — issued through your school. Pack it the night before and keep a photocopy at home.
• Pens — several of the kind you practise with, tested the night before. Follow the ink-colour instructions on your admit card.
• Pencil, eraser, sharpener — for diagrams and graphs.
• Ruler, compass, protractor — for Maths and Science.
• A transparent water bottle, if your admit card instructions allow it.
• An ordinary analogue watch — smartwatches and other electronic devices are not allowed.

Morning of the Exam

• Wake up early — at least 2 hours before you need to leave.
• Eat a proper breakfast — protein and carbs, not just tea.
• Quick 15-minute revision — formula sheet only, nothing new.
• Leave home early — reach well before the reporting time on your admit card; late arrivals may not be let in.

During the Exam

• Reading time — use it to read the whole paper carefully.
• Plan your approach — mark easy, medium, and hard questions.
• Start with your strongest section — build confidence early.
• Watch the clock — allocate time per section and stick to it.
• Last 15 minutes — review answers, check for unanswered questions.

What NOT to Do

• Do not discuss the previous exam with friends — focus forward.
• Do not read new topics on exam morning — it creates anxiety.
• Do not skip breakfast — your brain needs fuel.
• Do not panic if one question is hard — skip it and come back later.

Always follow the instructions printed on your CBSE admit card; they take priority over this checklist.